Improvement in seeding-machines



A &, R. B. MCELRGY.

Grain-Drill.

n MM w. W 7, m,

M m MW N y AM. PHOTOUTHU. C0. N.\. (USBURNE'S PROCESS) UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

ALEX. MOELROY AND BOBT. B. MELROY, OF WAUPUN, WISCONSIN, AS-

SIGNOBS TO BOB'I. B. 'MCELROY, AFORESAID.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 27,1 59, dated April 3, 1860.

.To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that we, ALEXANDER MGELROY i ing the arrangement of the deliectors and rod for scattering the seed and their position below the hopper. Fig. Srepresents the same on an enlarged scale, showing the loop-shaped guides in which the slide vibrates. Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the seed-hopper, showing the openings in its bottom leading into the cavities which connect the openings through the slide, and the bottom plate ot' the guides which cover the same. Fig. 5 represents an enlared view ot' a portion ofthe same.

The nature ot' our invention consists in arranging the several parts of this machine, substantially in the manner hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l, A lepresents a zigzag flange attached to one of thewheels J, on which the machine is mounted. 'lhe series of cams formed by the shape given io this tlange, as they revolve with the wheel J, impart motion to the lever B, which is reciprocated by the reacting spring C, which moves the lever through the rod l), and thus vibrates the slide E and agitator V, which are connected to the longer arm ofthe lever B, said lever having its fulcrum on the frame-work of the machine at the point a. It will be observed that the depth of these cams on the flange A is uniformly the same continuously around, but that only every alternate one corresponds in length or degree of inclination, those which operate the lever being longer or of less degree of inclination than those intervening, whose office is not to force the lever back, but to prolong its reciprocating vibration effected by the' reacting spring, so that it will correspond in length ottime or velocity with the vibration given it by the cam which operates it, the difference in the degree of their inclination being simply to compensate for the difference between a straight line parallel-with the vibrating slide andthe curve or arc described by the short arm of the lever as it turns on its fulcrum, i'or the purpose of effecting and insuring uniformity in the velocity ot' vibration given to the slide and agitator by the zigzag ange and the reacting sprin fr.

It is quite necessary that the slide C should vibrate regularly, and that its vibration either way should be uniformly of the same velocity throughout its entire range, in order to insure an equal discharge ot' the seed from the hopper, which could not otherwise be scattered or distributed over the ground equally and evenly, and if the zigzag iange was otherwise arranged to effect this object it would necessarily be in such manner as to preclude t-he possibility ot' throwingthe operating parts ofthe machine out of gear, or atleast without making the arrangementmore complicated,less effective and durable, and more cumbersome and expensive.

By the above-described arrangement the lever, bein g on one side of the cams which operate it, and not between or astride them, can be easily and readily thrown out of gear by the arm t on the right of the drivers seat, which is connected to the lever B by the chain 7c.

The bottom of the hopper is provided with openings c at suitable intervals, through which the seed pass into the cavities o, formed in the upper side of the slide E, which is arranged to vibrate in guides el belowthe bottom ot' the hopper. These loop-shaped guides are formed ot an upper and lower plate broad enough to cover the openings e at either end of the cavities 0 in the slide E, and are secured to the bottom ot' the hopper by means ot screws passing through the lip formed by the projecting ends ofthe upper plate, a, which is provided with an opening, s, corresponding withtheopening c through the bottom of the hopper, and serves to protect the wood-work from being worn by the vibration of the slide. As the slide vibrates back and forth, the openings c extend alternately beyond the sides or edges of the bottom plate, d, of these guides, and the measure ot' seed in the cavity o is discharged alternately on one side and the other of the plate d.

The agitator consists of a sliding bar, fu, provided with teeth projecting partially over the openings s in the plate n and the cavities o in the slide, and is operated by the same lever to which the slide E is connected, by which means the seed in the hopper are prevented from becoming clogged or choking the openings through the slide 5 and it also facilitates, and in a great measure insures, the inrushing of the seed into the cavities, which, being continuously exposed to the seed pressing into them throughout the entire vibration of the slide, are more readily'lled than the openings would be it not connected by the cavities leading into them, and hence the agitator performs its functions to more advantage than it does when the openings are not continuously eX- posed to the pressure of the seed. As the seed are discharged from the hopper they fall upon the surface of the inclined board G', and are deiected against the surface of ,the inclined board H-an operation that spreads them evenly--from which they fall upon the rod N and are scattered broadcast over the surface of the ground. n

This arrangement, which is as well adapted to the purpose of broadcasting the seed as any other that could be employed, for it will spread and scatter the seed evenly and with the same uniformity with which they are discharged from the hopper, is at once simple, cheap, durable, and effective, and not liable to any disorder which could not be repaired by any ordinary farm-laborer, and at a very triiiing expense.

-Having thus described ourimprovementsin broadcast-seeding machines, what we claim therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The arrangement of the detiecting-boards G' and H, the rod N, and the seed-hopper, provided at its bottom with the vibrating agitator c and seed-slide E, in which are cavities o and openings e, the whole being used substantially as and for the purpose specified.

ALEXANDER MCELROY. ROBERT B. MCELROY. Witnesses:

W. H. TAYLOR, LUTHER LANDON. 

